Noise is a typical problem confronting many isolation applications.
Isolation products such as analog isolation amplifiers,
optocouplers, transformers and digital couplers, are used
in applications to transmit signals across a high voltage
barrier while providing galvanic separation between two
grounds. Burr-Brown’s isolated analog amplifiers and digital
couplers use one of three coupling technologies in their
isolation products, each having its own set of advantages and
disadvantages in noisy environments. These technologies
are inductive coupling, capacitive coupling and optical coupling.
Isolation amplifiers and digital couplers are used for
a variety of applications including breaking of ground loops,
motor control, power monitoring and protecting equipment
from possible damage. An understanding of the design
techniques used to transmit signals across the isolation
barrier, as well as an understanding of the sources of noise,
allows the users to quickly identify design and layout problems
and make appropriate changes to reduce noise to
tolerable levels.